The Heart is Mightier than the Fist
by Ernest P.R. Worrell
Summary: Warning: not a story per se, but rather a build up of and an introduction to the characters and their relationships. Introducing new character: Ryan Larsen. Slight alternate universe. Rated T just in case.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own KND.

The Heart is Mightier than the Fist

Prologue

February 6, 2006

10:00 P.M.

Osborn Estates, Rocafort, Illinois

Fire. Fire was everywhere, and smoke was eliminating oxygen within the entire house.

'I can't believe this is happening!' Thought a distraught woman, hiding in the home library with her two children, a light-blonde girl and a dirty-blonde boy. The woman's name is Margaret McKenzie, and her two children are Rachel McKenzie and Harvey McKenzie. Rachel is ten, and Harvey is seven. Sitting with them is the father, Eugene McKenzie.

Rachel looks very winded, having been trapped by a small book shelf and surrounded by smoke and flame. It wasn't until her dad, Eugene McKenzie, came over and pulled her out. The young girl had a broken leg, but she would survive.

"Mom?" the older McKenzie heard her daughter speak in a raspy voice. "When can we get out of here? The smoke is still coming in..." "I know how you're feeling, sweetie," Margaret tried to soothe her daughter's worries. 'Dammit!' She thought to herself. 'When are they coming?'

A similar fire was taking another house across the road from the McKenzie's. The fire department arrived, with enough firemen to fill a platoon.

"Howard," the chief directed a fireman in a red and yellow variation of the uniform. "Go into that gray house over there. That's the Larsen's place. And Jude." He addressed a fireman in a blue and green variation of the uniform. "Go and get the McKenzie's out. From what I could get of the phone call, they're in the library." Both men nodded and went off to do their respective assignments.

 _Fireman_ Howard entered the Larsen residence, seeing flames erupt all around him. "Anyone here?" he called out through his mike. He heard a banning from under him. 'What the hell?' he thought to himself. He looked down and saw a carpet. "Oh shit!" he muttered. Taking the carpet off, he saw a metal circle door, and it looked like it could be opened. Doing so, he saw three people. They were a middle-aged man with blonde hair, a middle-aged woman with raven-black hair, and a nine-year-old boy with dirty-blonde hair. The boy had a medium-sized cut across his forehead.

"Thank goodness," Howard replied. "Let's get you out of here!" Taking no chances, they all bolted for the doorway.

Both the Larsen and McKenzie families were already safely outside. Two explosions took place, taking out both homes... it was a lucky thing the families were beyond the reach of the explosion.

Wasting no time, the children were put into emergency vehicles and transported to the hospital.

Rocafort Hospital

11:30 P.M.

Rachel McKenzie's eyes opened after a long nap. For a moment she saw nothing but white lights, and she heard beeping sounds. She regained consciousness and saw she was in the hospital.

"Hey there, Rachel." Rachel heard a quiet yet relieved voice. She turned and saw in the bed next to hers was a dirty-blonde boy with green eyes. He has a bandage over his forehead. She smiled softly.

"Hi, Ryan," she welcomed softly. The boy's name is Ryan Amadeus Larsen. Before Fanny came along, Ryan was Rachel's first best friend, and he remains so to this day.

"What a bizarre chain of events, eh?" the boy questioned, his eyes gleaming. " _Both_ of our houses catching fire. _Two houses_! Doesn't happen every day, does it?"

Rachel smiled softly. 'After what he had gone through, he can still keep an open mind.' She giggled quietly. 'And like every other time, he can put it off like it never happened.' "So true, Ryan. So true."

Both kids turned their heads to see their respective mothers coming to see them.

"Ohhh... thank heavens you're alright, dear," Ryan's mother spoke softly as she hugged him. The boy's cheeks lighted up slightly, and he returned the hug gradually.

"Thank goodness! I thought we would've lost you, _honey bunches_ ," Rachel's mother whispered to her. Rachel could not help but also blush.

"MOM!" Rachel muttered in embarassment.

They spent a few minutes talking before Ryan and Rachel asked a very pressing question.

"Mom, what happened to Gramma Emma?" Rachel asked with worry.

"And what about Elsa, mom?" Ryan asked about his sister.

The older women's faces turned somber... this is what they hoped their children would not ask until much later. They sighed and decided it best to talk now.

"I'm sorry, Rachel dear," Margaret said. "She was locked in her room... and the explosion... she didn't survive."

Ryan's mother nodded. "Same with Kassie, dear." A tear came from her left eye. "She's gone."

Note: Some sources claim several of the KND operatives were born in **1993** ; in **my** version, Operatives 1, 2 and 5 of Sector V, and Operative 362, were born in **1995**. Numbers 3 and 4 of Sector V, and Ryan Larsen, the new character, were born in 1996. This is to clear up the confusion over the timeline in my story being based in 2006.


	2. Moving On

Disclaimer: I do NOT own KND.

The Heart is Mightier than the Fist

Chapter 1: Moving On

Charleston Cemetery, Rocafort, Illinois

February 8, 2006

7:00 A.M.

The morning in particular was _very_ somber. Especially since a funeral was taking place.

Rachel McKenzie and Ryan Larsen didn't want to be here. Not when two of the most important people in their lives were being put into the ground. Rachel's face looked solemn and stained with dry tears. Ryan's face was also stained with dry tears. He had a sad frown plastered on his face.

After the pastor finished, everyone went inside. Ryan and Rachel, however, wanted to stay outside and keep each other company. Their mothers took notice of this.

"We'd just like to have a moment alone, mom," Rachel assured.

"We'll be inside shortly," Ryan affirmed his mother.

Both women nodded in understanding and walked into the church.

Ryan and Rachel took hold of each other's hand and walked to a big tree to sit under it.

Rachel couldn't control herself and threw her arms around Ryan. The boy tried his best to comfort her.

"I... I can't believe they're actually... g-gone..." Rachel whimpered softly.

Ryan patted her back, and lightly caressed her hair. "I know what you mean. How could this happen?" he whispered softly.

"Grandma... she always baked fresh cookies for us after a long day..." she stated softly. "She would tell me a bedtime story every night."

"Kassandra was always there when I needed some guidance," Ryan said. "She was like a guardian angel, looking after me... no matter what..." Ryan broke into silent tears, and so did Rachel.

"What will we do now... now that they're gone?" Rachel asked silently. Ryan took hold of her shoulders, and he unleashed his beaming smile.

"They're not really gone, Rachel," he said, pointing to her heart. "They'll always be with us, even if their bodies are not." He paused. "They would... not want us to continue mourning them... they would want us to... to move on."

Rachel chuckled sadly. "But it's so _hard_..."

"I know, Rachel. But... you still have... **me**..." he smiled.

Rachel smiled back. "And you still have me..." Both children embraced in a comforting hug.

They put their pinkies together. "BFF!" They chuckled softly, knowing the words meant "best friends forever."

KND Moonbase

1:00 P.M.

The "coliseum" of the Kids Next Door Moonbase is filled with nearly 2000 operatives; not everyone was able to come. Rachel stood at the podium in the middle of the room. She looked confident, calm and collected.

"Our usual bad guys," Rachel stated, "have been quiet recently. Our efforts to take them down are only forty-five percent of the cause. Other factors include financial problems, personal problems, and wide list I have no time to go over." Rachel paused for a moment. A small frown formed its way onto her face. "But don't think they've gone away. Our rights and freedoms will _still_ be in jeopardy so long as they are around. And that is why we must continue to fight them, and to be cautious.

"But that is not why I called you here today." Rachel took a moment of silence before continuing. She chuckled lightly. "My job isn't an _easy_ one. I know that some of you know that, but none of you have my personal experiences. For a long time I've had the opportunity to see things through, to keep things from going haywire. A Supreme Leader is cautious and neutral." She looked down at her shoes, wondering how to go on. She finally found the words and looked up. "For a while I was comfortable being cautious and neutral. I am not _anymore_." She listened as the operatives whispered amongst themselves. She lightly whistled, getting their attention.

"The job of a Supreme Leader is to maintain the status quo. A Supreme Leader is supposed to be a _referee_. Their goal is to _settle_ fights," she said. Her eyes gleamed with courage. "Well I am ready to fight those fights again! And I can't do that _here_." Everyone talked amongst themselves, asking 'what does she mean?' Her behavior was regarded as strange. "That is why today I am announcing my resignation from the role of the Supreme Leader."

Everyone was _really_ talking now. Some thought she had gone mad, others were just confused.

Rachel decided to conclude her speech. "I'm ready to be on the battle field again. And that is all." Rachel walked off stage and out of the room.

Endor Estates, Rocafort, Illinois

4:00 P.M.

On one end of the neighborhood was a brown house with yellow windows. This was the residence of Nigel Uno, A.K.A. Number 1. Nigel is known as the leader of Sector V, a KND group based on Rocafort. Nigel has some distinctive attributes: he has a bald head and slightly grayish skin; he wears sunglasses, a red turtleneck, gray shorts and brown shoes.

Today seemed like an ordinary day to the young Uno, but he did not know what was coming up.

A mini-van drove up to his house. Nigel raised his eyebrow. "Now who would be coming to our house at this time of day?" he thought with curiosity.

He got his answer as people exited said vehicle. The first to exit was an older woman with blonde hair and sapphire eyes. Next was an older gentleman with brown hair, yellow eyes and a goatee. A young boy with brown hair and an aggravated exited afterward, and Nigel _knew_ this boy.

 _"Harvey,"_ Nigel thought glumly to himself. Then his eyes opened wide. If Harvey was here, then that means...

A young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes exited the mini-van. She saw Nigel and smiled widely. "Nigel!" She instantly ran up to him and embraced him in a big hug.

"R-Rachel?" Nigel asked, shock evident in his voice. His shock washed away and he smiled warmly. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel hugged him tighter before answering. "We're going to be living in the same neighborhood from now own!" She exclaimed.

Nigel's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked. He smiled brightly. "That's really great news!"

"Hmph! Maybe for _you_!" Nigel knew it was Harvey who spoke and regarded him with a grim look.

"Well nobody asked _you_!" Nigel replied crossly.

"Alrighty, everyone be nice!" Rachel's dad said. "So, Nigel, old boy! It's good to see ya. We're here for dinner with the folks. Would you kindly let us in?"

Nigel nodded. "Absolutely, Mr. McKenzie." With no more said, they entered the Uno residence.

Today started out grim for Rachel. But now everything seemed _brighter_.

Note: I started this project as far back as I can remember (probably a little after my first story, **Vlad Masters: Father** , for the Danny Phantom fanfiction). In that time, I have come to realize that this is not an actual story, per se, but rather a "build up." A certain snob once said while watching a movie, "with no build up and all plot, it can feel a little slow…" Well, ladies and gents, this is _**all build up**_ and _**no real plot**_. It's really an examination of the characters and the relationships they have. As I publish this (after all these years, since I've been on FanFiction since 2008), I will adjust it as much as I can, but I fear there is no saving this project. I can't possibly establish any sense of plot (there are hints and suggestions of some plotlines, but they go nowhere in this "collection"). But, I do plan a continuation of the characters here in another project (which has an actual story/plot), and I hope it will be successful.


	3. Breaking In, Breaking Out

Disclaimer: I do not own KND or any of the related characters.

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 3: Breaking In, Breaking Out

 **Parking lot outside the Quentin Julius Building**

10:00 A.M.

Having to disguise their absurd transport vehicle (the COOLBUS) as a travel tram, Number 2 (Hoagie) and Number 3 (Kuki) wait and look for any signs of danger.

On the top of the building, Number 4 (Wally) and Number 518 (Mei Ling) are attempting to break in.

 _"Is everything going okay?"_ Nigel's voice came over the radio.

Hoagie picked up the mini phone and answered, "If you mean nothing bad has happened, then yes." The veteran "pilot" looked up at the building, thinking about the amount of security contained therein – it has more than ten times the amount of security the tree house has, he thought to himself. Sighing and shaking his head, he simply muttered, "Oh, Ryan Larsen, you had better be worth all this trouble.

 **Sector V Tree House, two and a half hours earlier**

"Wait, what!?" Rachel exclaimed. Her eyes are wide and her voice filled with surprise.

The Supreme Leader (Number 5,000) ignored her response and calmly continued. "Ryan Amadeus Larsen. He was born April 20, 1996." He paused and looked squarely at the group. "He is being held captive at the Quentin Julius Building, a place secretly known for child labor. Your mission is to break him out of there and bring him back here. Once that mission is complete, you will bring him in to be signed as a new recruit for the KND. His code cumber will be Double Zero."

"Number 5,000, sir," Rachel interrupted. "I know Ryan Larsen. He's been my best friend since I was six years old. He has a good heart, but I don't think he's ready to join our group. He's only a Reserve Unit member, and I feel at his current age he's a little late to be working in the KND…"

"I'm well aware of that, Number 362," Number 5,000 interjected. "You're right about one thing. It _is_ a bit unorthodox to enlist a Reserve, especially when such a person only trains eight times a year, but that is where I feel Sector V will come in handy," he stated. "All of you will personally train him to be the best, and if the records I found about him are correct, he'll learn quickly enough to become one of our 'Young Gun' recruits."

Everyone knew the word "Young Gun." A Young Gun is a KND recruit that exceeds all expectations in a quick amount of time (say, five months or less) and is promoted immediately to a respected field agent. Another word to use would be a "rising star."

"And as far as age is concerned," Number 5,000 continues. "He's young enough to join our organization." He frowns and asks, "Any more questions, 362?" Not wanting to get on his bad side, Rachel simply shakes her head. "Good," he says and moves on.

"Can I count on you to be successful in this mission?" Number 5,000 asks Nigel.

Nigel salutes and says, "Yes, sir!"

"Very good," the Supreme Leader says. "I'll leave you to your planning, then. Good luck." The screen shuts down.

Nigel looks to Rachel and asks, "So any ideas on how we can break into this building?"

 **Inside the Quentin Julius building**

 **10:10 A.M.**

10:10 A.M.

"Who came up with this 'bright idea'?" Wally complained, his Australian accent thick with frustration. "Do ya know how hard it was to open that cruddy window? It was loike tryin' to open my grandpa's wooden cupboard without destroying the brass lining!"

"Well, we _could've_ broken the window, my Australian friend," replied Mei Ling, who was not happy with the process herself. "But then some major alarms would've gone off, and a bunch of security guards would've been all over our hides."

"Pffft! Oi could've taken on those bunch of bozos. They act tough, but deep down they're nothin' but a bunch of pansies," Wally declared, punching his fist into the air.

Mei Ling smirks at his bravado. "You talk tough, but when a certain _someone_ is around you, you become a gooey mess."

"Huh? What're ya talkin' about?" he asks the Chinese girl.

Mei Ling grins as she walks up to the short Aussie and bends down to whisper something to him. Wally gasps indignantly.

"No friggin way!" Wally declares, his eyes burning with denial. "Oi don't have any feelings for any cruddy girl. They're all… uh, cruddy!"

 _"What are you two talking about up there?"_ a familiar voice speaks in both operatives' ear phones. Wally blushes lightly and picks up the signal.

"Uh, nothing, Kuki," he says softly. "Just a misunderstanding, that's all."

 _"Okay, then!"_ Kuki replies over the line. _"Be careful up there, okay, Wally?"_

"Sure, Kuki, Oi will," Wally replies. The line ends, and Wally turns to see Mei Ling smirking. "What!?"

"Well that confirms everything," said Mei Ling. Before Wally could rebuke her, she put her hand up. "Come on, we have an agent to save." Wally grumbles before continuing on.

 **Ryan's "prison cell"**

"I thought I was coming here short term," Ryan said to himself. "These wackos are actually holding me prisoner!"

Having no idea why he is being kept as a prisoner in a work room, Ryan could only pace around and think. "The door is locked, and the windows are all break proof. How am I gonna get outa here!"

Ryan tried twice to call his parents on his new cell phone, yet his communication was crappy due to the amount of security tech around him.

 **Sector V Tree house, fifty minutes earlier**

"Well, we know how we can get in," Rachel said after a long hour of thinking. "Now there's the issue of getting out."

"I have a solution," Hoagie said as he raised his hand. "There's a ton of security in the building, so it will be a problem. However, the security is limited. If we use the ventilation system, we'll be able to get to the bottom floor undetected. Then we simply make our way towards the main door, and we're home free!"

Rachel nodded. "A pretty good idea, but once you're on the bottom floor you'll be met by at least fifteen guards…"

"Which is why we'll place a sonic device inside the room," Hoagie elaborated. "They'll be hidden in the ventilation system, and once I press a remote the sonic device will initiate its signal, setting off the alarms in the building. All the guards will be up there in no time, and thus the bottom floor will be empty!"

Rachel smirked. "Excellent!"

 **Ryan's cell**

 **10:20 A.M.**

Ryan was sitting down at the desk when he heard a noise. Looking down, he was surprised to see a hole being drilled through the bottom floor.

Out of the hole came two kids no older than Ryan. One was a blonde-haired boy with an orange hoodie (Wally), and the other a Chinese girl with flowing black hair (Mei Ling).

Mei Ling met eyes with Ryan. "Are you Ryan Larsen?" she asked him.

The boy in question simply said, "Yes, that's me."

"My name is Mei Ling," she introduced herself. "I'm also known as Number 518."

Wally walked up. "The name's Wally Beetles. Oi am also known as Number 4."

Ryan raised his eyebrows. "So, you two are with the KND. What do want with me?"

"We're here to save your sorry butt, mate," Wally replied.

Ryan was shocked. "You know that I'm being held prisoner? How is that possible?"

"The Kids Next Door has a tendency to know stuff like this," Mei Ling answered.

They talked with him about their plan to break him out.

"Well, an interesting plan," Ryan agreed. "But we need something more. My parents need a reason to take me out of this program. I was supposed to come here to learn basic math, not to be held captive and forced into manual labor."

"Well, we can only do so much, mate," Wally stated. "What do you have in mind?"

Ryan went into thinking mode, and finally came up with something. "Well, my parents are very protective when it comes to the food served at places," he replied. "My phone isn't working here, but… if I can get out of the building and make a call… and say that I'm suffering from food poisoning, my folks will be upset enough to cancel my subscription here."

"You're pretty smart," Mei Ling comments.

 **10:40 A.M.**

The ventilation shaft is cold, thought the three kids. But how else can they avoid detection.

"Ya got that, Hoagie?" Wally asked over the radio line.

 _"Sure,"_ Hoagie replied. _"I've got just the thing! Just get down here!"_

"Roger that," said Wally.

"We're here, guys," Mei Ling as they reached the bottom.

"About cruddy time," Wally said. "Oi haven't had to crawl so far in a _long_ time!"

"Tell me about it," Mei Ling replied with a sarcastic tone. "Honestly, this was more bearable than crawling through the sewers of Hong Kong!"

Wally raised his eyebrow. "You had to crawl through the sewers of Hong Kong?"

"It was part of a mission I had when I was leader of Sector C," she said. "I can't say that I _liked_ doing it. Yuck!"

Wally grinned. "Heh, oi always thought you _girly girls_ liked staying _clean_."

"Don't patronize me, Aussie boy!" Mei Ling sneered at him. "With all that rugby you play, I bet you've had few baths in your life!"

"Don't count on it," Wally scoffed. "My mum's made me take baths since oi was a tyke."

The Chinese girl giggled lightly. "I think I might like your mom."

Wally sighed. "Well, just about everybody does. Even Kuki."

Mei Ling rolled her eyes. Talking into her receiver, she contacted Hoagie. "Number 2, we're in position."

With that alarms went off. _All guards to Room 45-U8_ , a computerized voice said. _Intruder alert!_

Taking no chances, all the guards in the room exited and headed up the stairs.

With everyone gone, Mei Ling, Wally and Ryan broke out of the ventilation system.

 **Parking lot**

 **10:55 A.M.**

A light blue Taurus (car) drove into the parking lot. Exiting it was Ryan's father, Theodore Snejbjerg Larsen. He looked around before he saw his son, looking very green.

"Ryan, my boy," he said, walking over and picking up the sick lad.

"Hi, dad," Ryan said. Theodore frowned softly.

 **The COOLBUS**

 **11:00 A.M.**

"So, why isn't he coming with us?" Hoagie asked.

"He says he lives in the same neighborhood," Mei Ling replies. "He'll meet us when he's feeling better."

Side note: In a comic book story related to Codename: Kids Next Door, Number 518 and her Sector C team worked with Sector V on a mission called Operation C.H.I.N.A., where they fought the Chinese army for control of the Great Wall (they wanted to turn the great monument into a water slide, or so I've read.). So obviously Mei Ling had met Sector V before and got to know them a little. This is just so you do not get confused, that's all. Over and out!


	4. Another Day, Another Assignment

Disclaimer: I do NOT own KND.

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 4: Another Day, Another Assignment

Friday February 17, 2006

3:30 P.M.

Ryan had gone through all the paperwork required for joining a sector. Sector V was surprised how fast he made his decision, especially Rachel. She remembered asking him on Monday, and the words exchanged.

 _"There will be plenty of wild adventures, Ryan,"_ Rachel remembers telling her best friend. _"The gadgets we use are pretty absurd, and most of the bad guys we face are pretty laughable. However, some of our usual baddies are pretty vicious. You think you'll be up to it?"_

She recalls how Ryan put his finger on his chin, how he looked to the sky. It took only one minute for him to make his decision, and he agreed to sign up with Rachel and her team. Rachel only smiled at his enthusiasm, and she said, _"Then I welcome you to the KND, Number Double Zero!"_

And now Sector V had to find a way to train him. Rachel came up with a brilliant idea, giggling gleefully.

Monday, February 20, 2006

7:30 A.M.

"Dad!" Wally exclaimed. Sitting in the back seat of his father's car, the blonde Aussie could only pout in dismay. "Why are we goin' to your work place? And most importantly, why are we going on 'Take Your Daughter to Work Day', _again?_ "ª

"Because, son, Oi don't _have_ a daughter," Darrell (Wally's dad) explained. "And also, your Mum's taking Joey to the dentist – the poor little _ankle biter_ * is getting a small wisdom tooth in the back. Since your Mum's away and today's a snow day, Oi can't just leave ya at home all by yourself. Does that make sense?"

Wally crossed his arms and huffed in discontent. "What's wrong with bein' home alone, anyway? It is not loike the doors aren't all locked, and even if they were broken, I could beat the crud outa any sleazebag stupid enough to break in to begin with!"

Darrell sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, Wally. Sometimes I can't help but feel you've got _kangaroos loose in the top paddock_ *," he muttered.

Darrell, seeing Wally is still miffed, attempted to lighten the mood. "Ah, cheer up, sport! Oi know that little _Sheila_ * you loike will be there! What's her name? Oh, yes, Oi know! Kuki, that's her name!"

Darrell didn't see, but Wally blushed lightly at the mention of the girl. "Yeah, so?" he asked quietly.

"Oi remember the first time we met that girl and her family," Darrell continued, not hearing Wally. "They moved all the way from Japan about the same time we moved from Australia. You both were five at the time, and you know something? You both got along real well that first day, and Oi could see you'd be best _mates_ * from then on." Darrell breathed softly. "Ah, it is hard to believe how long ago that was." Darrell drove in and found a parking spot. "We're here, son!"

Instead of keeping Wally in his "box office," Darrell decided to take him to the faculty room – nobody at work was using it, so Darrell didn't think anyone would mind. Taking an elevator, Wally once again had to deal with several young girls taunting him.

"This is like the, what, _eighth_ time the Beetles boy has come to 'Take Your Daughter to Work Day'?" a redheaded, seven-year-old girl whispered to her blonde companion.

"Tell me about it, but that doesn't mean it isn't hilarious," whispered said blonde girl. "Watch this." She raised her voice so that the blonde Aussie could hear her. "Hey, _Wallabee_ ," she said tauntingly, and all the other girls giggled. "I hear your _girlfriend_ is here, too. From what we've heard, you two are _very_ close. I can hear the headlines now." All the girls sing together in a teasing way. " _Wally and Kuki, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, and finally something special in a BABY carriage!_ "² They finished it off, laughing loudly.

Wally was definitely not happy. He turned around, his head steaming. "Why you little…"

"We're here, son!" Darrell announced. Exiting the elevator, father and son headed toward their destination.

Before Wally got out of the elevator, the blonde seven-year-old said, "Make sure to give us a call when you finally kiss up to the future Mrs. Beetles! Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Wally only grumbled in response before walking out.

Back at the tree house, Nigel and Rachel were busy watching a re-run of a show starring Kenan & Kel. During commercial break, Nigel took the time to ask his new second-in-command about her friend.

"So tell me, why did you give him a journal?" Nigel asked. Rachel looked to him and smiled.

"So he can take notes. Also, I want him to get acquainted with everyone on the team, one or two at a time," Rachel replied evenly.

"I see," Nigel said in understanding. "So why are you pairing him up with Numbers Three and Four first?"

Rachel smirked and responded, "Those two are at Mr. Boss' business building. Today's 'Bring Your Daughter to Work Day,' and I hear Number Four _really_ dislikes being taken on that day. They aren't expecting Ryan to be there, so it will catch them off guard. This will be a great time for Ryan to learn some analysis skills – it will help him get a better understanding of the team." She smiled sweetly before saying, "Don't worry, Nigel. This will be really good for him. Trust me."

Number 1 couldn't help but smile. He said, "I do trust you."

"Have a good time, sport!" Wally's dad said. Wally only mumbled in response before entering the faculty room. Kuki was inside already.

"How's it going, Wally?" Kuki asked in her oh-so-sweet voice. For some strange reason, Wally liked hearing that voice every day. Of course, he never showed it, his true feelings hidden by a gruff, tough look on his face.

"I'm fine, Kuki," the Aussie replied.

Another blonde-haired boy was in the room as well. Wally's eyes widened – he knew the other boy.

"Number Double Zero!" the Aussie exclaimed. "Whot are you doin' here?"

Ryan shrugged and said, "My mom works here. I can't stay at home because my dad works for an insurance company at night. So, strangely enough, I'm here. Oh, by the way, Rachel wanted to let you know that I'm going to be spending time with you. She wants me to get to know all the members on the team."

Wally raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who's Rachel?" he asked.

Ryan gave a confused look in return before snapping his fingers in realization. "Oh, I forgot you all refer to each other by codenames! Sorry about that. But… wait a minute. You both just called each other by your real names." Ryan lowered his eyes. "Oh, I see. Since I'm the new guy I can only refer to you all by your codenames. Sorry, it slipped my mind."

Kuki came over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Number Double Zero. You don't have to feel so bad." She smiles warmly at the young recruit. "Besides, I don't think Number 362 minds you calling her by her real name."

Ryan met her eyes and smiled in return, feeling better after being comforted.

Australian slang words:

 _Ankle biter:_ small child

 _Kangaroos loose in the top paddock:_ Intellectually inadequate

 _Sheila:_ a woman (since she's referred to as a little Sheila, we'll take it as meaning "little girl" or "young lady")

 _Mate_ : buddy, friend

ª: Reference to the Codename: Kids Next Door episode titled "Operation: OFFICE."

 **²** **:** The blonde and red-haired girls both appeared in "Operation: OFFICE."


	5. Down Time

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Kids Next Door.

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 5: Down Time

Location: Big Boss Industries

7:50 A.M.

"Numbuh 4, I'm bored," Kuki groaned, her eyes flicking in frustration.

"Yeah, Oi know. Ya told me that ten minutes ago," Wally droned. He himself was not in the best of moods.

On the other hand, Ryan was having a blast reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

"Well, at least he's keeping himself entertained," Wally thought glumly to himself.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Kuki exclaimed. Bolting toward the white closet in the room, Kuki opened it and started rummaging through it to find something to play.

"Yes!" Kuki proclaimed loudly. She is holding a board game over her head – the title is "Rainbow Monkey Monopoly."

"Oh no," Wally grumbled.

"Let's play _this_ game, Number 4," Kuki said.

"Numbuh 3, you know I don't loike Rainbow Monkeys," he stated. He'd learned the hard way not to say he _hated_ the colorful dolls, for he ended in a tight spot with the Japanese girl because of it. Even though he didn't use harsh words anymore to describe his dislike, Kuki still gets miffed.

"Oh come on, Wally!" Kuki stated using his real name. "The only other things in this closet are books and math sheets!"

"Even so, I'd rather die of boredom than play a silly game featuring those colorful creatures," Wally stated, shuddering.

"Oh, come on, _please?_ " Kuki pleaded.

"No!" Wally exclaimed.

"Please?"

"No."

"PLEASE?"

"NO."

"Oh, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty PLEASE?"

"I said NO!" Wally yelled in frustration. Getting over his frustration, he saw Kuki whimpering in a corner. Seeing her saddened face, Wally felt as if a stake had been driven through his heart. He sighed before replying softly, "Alroight, alroight, I'll play the cruddy game with ya. Just, stop crying, okay?"

Kuki responded with a crushing hug and a big smile. "Thank you, Wally!" Wally could only smirk, and his face is beet red from embarrassment. However, all that mattered to him was that he got her to stop crying.

 _Ryan's Journal_

 **Hello, journal. My name is Ryan. Rachel gave you to me so I can write my personal thoughts regarding the KND or my life in general. And only I can look into you.**

 **Um, where should I start? Well, Rachel asked me to take personal notes on my teammates so that I can be a better tactical expert, so I guess I'll begin there.**

 **What are my current whereabouts? I'm at the Big Boss Industries building in Cleveland, Ohio. My dad has a job here as an accountant. Today is Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. So, why am I here, you ask? Well, it's a sad story – a sad story for another time. In any case, there is no longer a daughter in the family. My mom works at the Pet clinic for hours, and I can't be left at home alone. So, that's the reason I'm here. It is kind of awkward to be here on a day when daughters are supposed to come, but thankfully I'm not the only boy here.**

 **This brings me to me two teammates – Wallabee "Wally" Beetles (Numbuh 4), and Kuki Sanban (Numbuh 3).**

 **Wally Beetles is quite a character. I instantly knew he was from Australia when I heard him speak. It's fun, actually, since I don't know a lot of people from other countries. I admit his tough guy exterior makes it hard to get to know him, but I can see there's more to him than that.**

 **Then there's Kuki Sanban. She told me she was born in Japan after I kindly asked her where she was from. I haven't really traveled a lot – that is, I haven't traveled to other countries. But I hear that a good number of Japanese people are really nice. In any case, Kuki is a nice girl with a bubbly personality and a bright attitude. In some ways she makes the world seem brighter.**

"Alright, let's play again!" Kuki cheered after winning a third time.

"Kuki, I'm tired of playin' this game!" Wally lightly complained.

"Just one more game, PLEASE Wally!" Kuki pleaded with puppy dog eyes. Feeling powerless against the dreaded puppy eyes, Wally sighed in defeat.

"Alroight," the blonde Aussie sighed. Kuki didn't notice, but the slightest hint of a smile was present on Wally's lips.

"Thank you, Wally!" Kuki wrapped him in the strongest hug she could muster.

Even though Kuki didn't notice Wally's emotional slip, Ryan did. Ryan simply smirked and continued with his journal.

 **The relationship Wally and Kuki share is a unique one at best. At times they seem to be quarreling with each other, annoying one another and causing emotional pain to each other.**

 **Despite all this, I can see something between them. I may be the new guy, but I can tell they have hidden feelings for one another.**

 **Wally appears to use his tough guy persona to cover up what he really feels, but it is NOT good enough to hide from me. I can see that Kuki has a special place in Wally's heart – Wally's desire to please her are one of many confirmations. Whenever he says or does something that makes her sad, he will go to any lengths to make her happy again.**

 **Kuki is a little more subtle and a little harder to discern, but I'm intelligent enough to see she too has strong feelings for the Aussie. From what I've learned, she's been trying to get him to open up to her for a long time. Despite all the quarreling and bickering, she hasn't given up on him. They've still got a long way to go, but he's let down his guard a little more and accepted her affection.**

 **Ha, ha, ha! The truly ironic part of this whole story is that they are both oblivious. How, you ask? I'll get into that later.**

 **Now understand that this is just an observation. I'm the new guy and it takes time to get to know people. What am I going to do about it?**

"Wally," Kuki said to the blonde Aussie. "I'm going to go get a soda. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Sure, go on ahead," Wally replied, assuring her it was okay. She smiled in response and exited the room.

 **Well, this looks like a perfect time**.

"Hey, Numbuh Four. Can I ask you something?" Ryan asked him.

"I guess," Wally replied.

"What is your opinion on…well, girls?"

Wally raised an eyebrow quizzically. "That depends. Do you mean one girl in particular, or girls in general?"

Ryan shrugged. "How about we start with girls in general, and then I can ask your opinion on certain girls?"

Wally smirked in response. "Fair enough," he agreed. "I think almost all girls are clingy, whiny, annoying, and sissy. Also, they have a tendency to slow us guys down."

Ryan could only grin at his explanation. He decided to pose his questions. "What's your opinion on Numbuh Five?"

Wally sat on a chair and leaned back. His eyes darted in deep thought. "She's cool. Number 5 is calm and collected, she seldom takes crud from anyone, and she's the best spy I've ever met."

Ryan posed another question. "What is your view on Numbuh 362?"

"She's alroight," said Wally. "She reminds me a bit of Numbuh One – ya know, the no-holds-barred, workaholic leader. She's a good choice for second-in-command."

"What about Numbuh 3?"

Wally dropped out of his chair in shock. He got up and his eyes darted dangerously at the new guy. "Whot about her?"

"Well, I've seen the way you act around each other. You two seem pretty close," Ryan reasoned.

"Well…" Wally started nervously.

Suddenly, Kuki rushed through the door breathing heavily. "Guys!"

"Numbuh 3!" Wally exclaimed. "Whot's wrong?"

"Something _big_ is happening here, Numbuh 4," the Japanese girl replied.


	6. Another Day, Another Mystery

Disclaimer: I do not own Codename: Kids Next Door.

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 6: Another Day, Another Mystery

Location: Big Boss Industries building

The resident janitor is taking the elevator to the lowest level of the building. Exiting, he takes his cart and leaves it in the closet, and then he heads for his lunch break. Unbeknownst to the cleaner, Wally, Kuki and Ryan hid themselves in the cart to gain access.

"Alroight, let's see whot's goin' on," Wally declared.

They were faced with two long hallways. "Uh, didn't expect that," Wally acknowledged.

"So, what do we do?" Ryan asked.

Wally took this into consideration and began rubbing his chin, thus he finds himself in thinking mode.

 _Ryan's Journal_

 **This, I think, is a good time for me to intercede. Now I know what you all are thinking, but hear me out.**

 **Even though Wally is more of a fighter than a thinker, he… he does have moments of clarity. And despite what a lot of people believe, he's not an idiot. He just… acts before thinking most of the time.**

"Alroight," Wally said, coming to a decision. "I'll take the right hallway," he said pointing to himself. "And _you_ two go down the left hallway," he stated pointing at Kuki and Ryan. "Sound okay with you?"

Without taking time to think, Kuki and Ryan nodded in agreement. Numbuh 4 smirks and walks down his path.

Numbuh 3 and Numbuh Double O start their journey down the hallway on the left.

"Um, Numbuh 3?" Ryan speaks up. The Asian girl looks back and smiles.

"Yes, Numbuh Double O?" Now that the girl's attention was turned to him, Numbuh Double O decided to take the initiative.

"Can I… ask you your opinion of some of the other operatives?" he asked in a meekly voice.

"Uh, sure, I guess so," she replies in a calm, yet cheerful voice.

"Okay," Ryan says. "Let's start with Numbuh 1."

"Oh, that's easy," Kuki chirped. "Number 1 is our leader, of course. He's confident, serious, and he can be cocky from time to time."

Ryan wrote all this down on paper. "Excellent," he mumbled. "Next on the list: Numbuh 2."

"Numbuh Two can be funny… most of the time," she mumbles the last part. "He's a great pilot, that's for sure. And he's gotten us out of some pretty dangerous situations."

"What about Numbuh 4?" Ryan asked.

The moment Ryan spoke the operative's name, Kuki slipped (although on what is anyone's guess, since the floor is like carpet and not made of tile; how she slipped may never be known). She got up… she quietly gulped. "What… what about Wally?"

Even though Kuki called Numbuh 4 by his real name and not his code number, Ryan wasn't fazed by it. "From what I've read of your team's various missions, he's saved you _countless_ times – more so than any of the other operatives on the team. Now, don't take this the wrong way, and I'm not trying to suggest anything, but… it seems you two have a pretty strong relationship."

"What, with Wally?" Kuki laughed. "Oh, there's nothing really going on between us."

"I wasn't suggesting that there was, Numbuh 3," Ryan replied. "And even if I was, is there anything wrong with that?"

"Oh, on _so many_ levels," Kuki lightly countered with a humorous frown. "He's mean, nasty and vicious. He hates Rainbow Monkeys – he's destroyed a few of them. Plus, he hates all girly things. He's always found a way to hurt my feelings. It just wouldn't work out between the two of us."

"I see. Does he still act that way now?" Ryan asked.

Kuki was about to reply but then stopped. She took time to think… and finally, realization hit her like a lightning bolt.

"Actually, no, he hasn't been acting like that for a while," Number 3 stated. "In fact, he's been acting nicer to me recently. He started acting like this two months ago, just around Christmas." She paused before continuing. "He hasn't shouted that he _hates_ Rainbow Monkeys – well, he has stated quietly that he doesn't _like_ Rainbow Monkeys. He still doesn't like my favorite toys, but at least he's not using harsh words, so that's progress," she replied in a lighthearted tone. "He's been sweeter to me. I mean, last Christmas he went out of his way to buy me the Christmas Elf Rainbow Monkey." She sighed. "He hasn't raised his voice to me in so long, it's hard to think he's still, well, himself. He hasn't been judging me on the choices I've made, or criticizing me for being girly." Her eyes began sparkling with joy. "I think to myself… could it be that he has feelings…?"

"Numbuh 3 and Numbuh Double O?" the two operatives turned to see Wally walking towards them.

"Oh, Numbuh 4," Kuki squeaked, surprise apparent in her voice. "How long have you been there?"

Kuki couldn't tell what Wally was thinking because his eyes were covered by his bowl cut. "Eh? I just got here," he said quietly.

Ryan smirks.

 _Ryan's Journal entry_

 **Sure, okay. That might work on someone as oblivious as Kuki (no offense to her, honest!), but to someone as clear-headed as me, I know he just made a fib (fib means lie, just in case no one understands). He was there listening the whole freaking time! However, out of respect, I shall not indulge this information.**

"So, Numbuh _Four_ ," Ryan spoke up. "Did you find _anything_?"

"Huh?" Wally replied uncertainly. Then he snapped his fingers, remembering something. "I _did_ discover _this_ , mate!" He pulls out a piece of paper.

Ryan simply raises his eyebrows. "Okay," states Ryan. "Where did you get this piece of paper?"

"From Mr. Boss's personal mail stack," Wally states proudly. "I can't read most of it ( _blasted cursive wroiting_ ), but I can easily read the title. Take a look for yourself."

Ryan takes a look at the paper. The title clearly states "Operation O.T.T.O." in bold lettering. Ryan tries to read further – to his astonishment, _he_ can't read it either.

"Well, it _is_ cursive writing," Ryan states. "However, it is **Old English** cursive." Ryan shakes his head. "I can't read this. Whose bright idea was to write something in Old English? I mean, does anyone use that style anymore?"

Looking to his fellow operatives, Ryan decides on a course of action. "Let us get back to the room. Perhaps Numbuh 1 will be able to shed light on this once we get back."

Back at the Tree House

12:30 A.M.

Rachel is resting on the couch in the main room, clearly tuckered out. Nigel enters and sees her sleeping form. He can't help but smile.

 _"She was once a Supreme Leader. Now she's my new second-in-command."_ His smile turns into a small frown. Something is still jabbing at his mind. _"Something is still bugging me, though. She was Supreme Leader – the mighty commander-in-chief of the Kids Next Door. She literally had everything. Why would she give it all up?"_ He noticed her stirring up.

Rachel looked up to see her new leader and smiled. "Hey, Nigel," she greeted softly.

Nigel grinned. "Good afternoon, Rachel. Spent all day watching Doctor Time-Space re-runs, did you?"

Rachel lightly giggled. "What can I say? I'm a fan girl."

Nigel smirks in reply. Moving smoothly, Nigel sits next to her on the couch.

"Listen, Rachel. I've been meaning to ask you something…" he started.

"Ask away," Rachel responded, letting him know that it is okay.

"I must say I was surprised you resigned from your position as Supreme Leader," Nigel started. "Why did you give it all up?"

Rachel took into account what he just asked her, and took the time to think. After a minute, she looked into his eyes, smiling. "I had to give up much during my tenure as Supreme Leader. I wasn't able to make many friends on Moon Base, I couldn't do much – heck, I couldn't even go out in the field!" she exclaimed. "When I was a field agent prior, I felt I was making a difference. When I look back to my time as Supreme Leader – I felt like I wasn't contributing as much to the organization anymore."

"What do you mean?" Nigel inquired.

"I felt that I didn't have that large a role to play," she responded. "In fact, I didn't do anything really _major_ during that time."

"What are you talking about?" Nigel shouted incredulously. "Remember that incident where Father took control of the Moon Base and flooded it with broccoli? You ate through all that gross green foliage!" Nigel exclaimed. "With no _cheese, for heaven's sake!_ "

"Yes, that _did_ happen," said Rachel. "But can you recall _any_ other time I made a difference?"

Nigel was about to reply, yet stopped himself. He could not think of any other time that Rachel played a particularly major role in all their adventures.

"Exactly," Rachel stated. " _You_ , on the other hand, have made a difference countless times! And you're a _field agent_! You are the one making a difference on a daily basis." She looked away with a sad expression. "You got to go on adventures while… while I was stuck on the Moon Base… with nothing to look forward to except paper work and calls on the Help-Me-Line."

Nigel felt sad that she felt this way, and yet what she is saying makes sense all the same. She never got to have the adventures of a life-time like he and his team.

"That is why I resigned," she replied. "I missed being on the field! I missed having wacky, crazy adventures on a daily basis! I missed going on missions… where I could make a difference." She smiles at her new prestigious leader. "I'm _happy_ to be a field agent again. Getting to work with you is the _icing_ on the cake!" she chuckles softly.

Nigel smiles softly. "Do you really mean that?"

"Every word, Nigel," Rachel replies as she gets off her back and moves next to him. "I know I'm new to the group, but I hope we can grow as a team together." She looks him in the eye with admiration. "There's no one I'd rather be co-leader with more than you."

Nigel smirks, feeling flattered. Though they don't know it, their hands are touching.

At that very moment, Wally, Kuki and Ryan enter the room. "Numbuh One," Wally announces his presence. "We're back."

All three notice Nigel and Rachel touching hands. Wally grins. "Ah, do ya need some time alone?" he speaks mischievously.

Nigel and Rachel at first are confused. They realize their hands are entwined and they break apart, both blushing madly.

Wally continues grinning, Kuki simply giggles and Ryan looks on with a knowing smile. Ryan decides to break the unease.

"Well, _commanders_ ," Ryan says. "We just got back. We found something."

Back to "Leader Mode," Nigel looks on with a serious demeanor. "What have you got, Numbuh Double O?"

"Numbuh Four found this document in Mr. Boss' office," he replied and handed the paper over to the leader.

Nigel looks at the document. "Hmmm. **Old English** cursive," Nigel says to himself.

"Do you know what it says?" Ryan asks.

Nigel simply shakes his head. "Sorry, but no, I do not." Everybody looks at him, their gazes saying _you gotta be kidding me_. Nigel takes a defensive stance. "Don't look at _me_! I may be from England, but I never learned this type of writing!" he huffs lightly. "Maybe Numbuh 513 can _decipher_ it for us. In the mean time, we have to wait." Nigel pauses to look at the document once again. "I can read the title, though. Operation _O.T.T.O._ "

Rachel's eyes widen. "D-did you just say Operation O.T.T.O.?" she exclaimed.

Nigel looks to his second-in-command. "Yes. Why, what's the matter?"

Rachel looks to the other three. "What kind of business is Mr. Boss into, guys?"

"Oh, I know, I know!" Kuki raises her hand and shouts. "Everyone _thinks_ he owns an accounting firm, but it is common knowledge in the KND that he _secretly_ operates a crude oil company."

Nigel sees Rachel is thinking this over. "Is something wrong, Number 362? What's the significance of this?"

Rachel's eyes are looking down, burning with intensity. "I-I think I know what this is all about!"

Nigel looks confused. "What? How can you possibly know about this?"

Rachel looks to Nigel. "Because the only mission involving crude oil that I know about is the one I never completed."

Nigel still feels confused. "Please, continue," he urges.

"Long before I was Supreme Leader," Rachel starts. "I was part of a sector that was renowned in the KND. We were so popular that the Moon Base executives sent us on numerous missions. We succeeded on nearly _all_ of them."

"What do you mean _nearly_ all?" Nigel asked.

"It was approximately seven months before I joined up with Covert Ops on the moon," she replied. "The Supreme Leader at the time called us one night. He went over a project in development by one of the major adult enemies. The name of this project was Operation O.T.T.O., which stands for 'Office Troubles Turn Outrageous'."

Nigel raises his eyebrows. "What the heck? What does it mean?"

Rachel shakes her head. "I have no idea. I didn't think it made sense, either. It gave _no_ indication of its purpose. However, we _did_ know that it involved crude oil. Whether the oil was going to be used as a weapon, we never could figure out. Anyway, we flew to an oil digging plant in Texas – this was supposedly the place where several villains were meeting. We thought they were going to be discussing the plans for Operation O.T.T.O."

"What happened?" Nigel pressed on.

Rachel sighed. "Everything was set up _perfectly_! The bad guys were all there – however, someone was aware of our plans and followed behind. Our cover was blown! Teen Ninjas surrounded us! The villains realized that we were there and thus they destroyed all the evidence! All their documents were _burnt_!"

Seeing everyone was still listening, Rachel continued. "That was the mission that nearly cost my old team's _reputation!_ We flat out _failed_!" Rachel looked down in shame.

Nigel put his hand on Rachel's shoulder, letting her know it was okay. "It is alright, Rachel," he said softly.

Ryan took this chance to speak. "It seems old ghosts are coming back," he spoke sagely. "Here's one thing we could do. Call Moon Base and ask them to send us the old mission files so we can have a clear idea of what's going on. We'll be better prepared…"

"No," Rachel stated. "No, the Moon Base does not have _any_ files on that old mission."

"Well, who does?" Ryan asked.

Rachel sighs again. "My old sector."

"That's alright," Nigel replied. "We can call up your old sector and ask them to send over the files."

"You can't!" Rachel cried. Everyone looks surprised at her tone of voice. She calms down and speaks again. "I don't think you will be able to. I'm not sure they're still operating anymore."

"Well, what's the name of your old sector?" Ryan asks.

Rachel looks drained, but nonetheless replies. "Sector Q*."

Nigel's eyes widen. "Sector _Q_?" he asks incredulously.

Rachel turns her attention to Nigel. "Yes. Why, do you know of them?"

" _Know_ of them?" Nigel asks incredulously. "They were the best team for _two_ years. They're _legends_!"

Wally speaks up. "Hey, Oi've head of them blokes. What happened to 'em?"

"Maybe the Supreme Leader can tell us," Nigel replies.

 _"Sector Q?"_ Numbuh 5,000 asks over the intercom. _"Hmmm. They haven't seen much action in a long while. I've only kept them together out of respect. I've been considering separating them."_

"Well, please don't do that, sir," Rachel responded. "They could be of great help to us."

 _"Oh? And how did you come to that conclusion, Numbuh 362?"_ the Supreme Commander asked.

"We've come across something," said Rachel. "Some secret project the adults are working on. Does Operation O.T.T.O. mean anything to you?"

 _"No, I'm afraid not,"_ Number 5,000 replied.

"Sector Q was close to solving this case years ago," Rachel explained. "They still have old files relating to the mission."

 _"Okay, fair enough. I'll call them and ask them to send the files over to you…"_

"Actually, we'd like the team to come over," Rachel interrupted.

The Supreme Leader wasn't sure this was a good idea. However, Rachel's pleading eyes made him warm up to the idea.

 _"Very well," Numbuh 5,000 agreed. "I'll call them and tell them to fly over."_

Rachel breathed, happy that he agreed. "Thank you, Numbuh 5,000 sir."

Numbuh 5,000 simply grinned. The transmission ended.

 _3:00 P.M._ , _the hangar in Hoagie's room (at the tree house)_

"What is taking them so long?" Nigel asked. He looked at his watch once again. "They should have been here thirty minutes ago!"

"It is odd, I'll admit that," Rachel conceded. "They're usually timelier than this, last I remembered."

"Look!" Ryan said pointing in the distance. "I think that's the ship!" Indeed it was. The ship was approaching. "Yes! I can see it. It is getting closer!"

By the looks of things it was getting _pretty_ close.

"Uh, getting closer, looking good," said Ryan.

 _Now_ it seemed even closer than before.

"The ship is not slowing down," Ryan stated. "But definitely getting closer."

The ship was indeed not slowing down… in fact it seemed to be speeding up.

"Getting _really_ close," Ryan announced, sweating profusely. "Still not slowing down!"

They could hear sounds – sounds similar to an airplane moving at extremely fast speeds. The ship appears to be…

Nigel's eyes widen. "Are they attempting to ram into us?"

It does not look like the ship will slow down anytime soon!

"Holy moly!" Ryan cursed. "Let's get outta here!"

All three operatives agreed simultaneously and attempted to escape certain destruction. Finding cover wherever they could in Hoagie's room, they awaited the inevitable crash.

And thus the crash did come! Sounds of screeching metal could be for ten seconds. Then the sounds of destruction ceased to make themselves known. Nigel, Rachel and Ryan looked up to see the catastrophe. The ship did in face make a crash landing – nearly all of Hoagie's science experiments and vehicles have been destroyed. Though they did not expect something like this to happen, the three operatives breathed slowly before they were relieved of the shock. Nigel decided it was time to take action.

"They're most likely okay," Nigel reasoned. "It is best if we greet them, despite all the chaos that ensued."

"Good idea," Rachel replied, however, she was not able to disguise the apprehension in her voice, as well as the sadness in her eyes. "It has been so long since I've seen them, Nigel. I never really kept in touch with them, especially during my time as Supreme Leader. Do you think they'll remember me? Even if they do, I feel like I abandoned them. They were my friends." Light tears rolled down her cheeks. "In fact, I nearly forgot about them."

Nigel took notice of this and attempted to comfort her. "I'm sure that they don't feel that way, Rachel," he assured her. "But we'll worry about that later, okay? We have important things to discuss with them."

Wiping away her tears, Rachel smiled and nodded in agreement. Sad feelings put to the side, Nigel, Rachel and Ryan walk over to the crashed air craft.

Standing in front of the crashed vehicle, they wait for any signs of life. They hear the door to the vehicle open.

Four people exit one at a time.

The first to note is an African American male. He is slightly pudgy, not unlike Hoagie. He has curly black hair and brown eyes. His attire consists of a blue t-shirt, black jeans, and brown tennis-shoes. He is known as Numbuh 361.

The second is a Caucasian girl. She has blonde hair and ice blue eyes. She is slim like a ballerina. Her attire consists of a yellow sweater, a bright yellow skirt, and white-and-yellow tennis-shoes. She is known as Numbuh 360.

The third is a Hispanic girl. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She is slim like the other girl. Her attire consists of a white sleeveless sweatshirt, blue jeans and sandals. She is known as Numbuh 358.

The final occupant is a Caucasian boy. He has black hair and green eyes. He is slightly muscular. His attire consists of a green polo shirt, black jeans and black tennis-shoes. His code numbuh is 359.

Nigel coughs lightly. "Hello," he greets them kindly. "I am Numbuh One, leader of Sector V." He extends his hand. The African American male shakes it eagerly.

"I am Numbuh 361, leader of Sector Q," the pudgy boy greeted.

Finished with shaking each other's hands, Nigel decided to get to business. "I'm sure you must have been doing something important, but we felt…"

"Hold the phone!" the blonde girl from Sector Q interrupted. Her eyes locked onto Rachel. She felt speechless. "Numbuh 362? Is that you?"

All the other members of Sector Q stood silent, their eyes gazing at Rachel. They were surprised that the Supreme Leader ( **5,000** ) asked them to have a meeting with Sector V, to be sure; they have not had _anything_ important to do in so long. One thing they did not expect was to run into Rachel. This was the biggest surprise for them so far.

Now that they looked back on it, the team never expected to see Rachel ever again – not after she had been appointed to covert ops on Moon Base, and _certainly_ not after she became Supreme Leader.

The members of Sector Q are surprised – the one they thought never to see again is standing in front of them. They have no idea what to say. Number 360, on the other hand…

Number 360 looks down, her blonde hair covering her face. It is quiet at first, but tears build their way and roll down her cheeks. She mumbles softly. Looking back up, Numbuh 360 walks up to Rachel…

"Rachel!" she cries, throwing her arms around the fellow blonde.

Rachel at first is surprised; she slowly overcomes her shock and hugs back. She smiles softly. She feels relief to know that she was dearly missed.

"We… we _missed_ you," Number 360 whimpers in the embrace.

The other members of Sector Q take their cue and rush to the two girls.

"My goodness, it is so _good_ to see you, Rachel!" Number 358 cried. "Nothing has been the same without you, _alma hermana_ _**_!" she exclaimed, stressing the last word in Spanish.

Numbuh 361 put his hand in Number 362's shoulder. "I never thought we would see you again… but I'm _glad_ I was wrong… for once."

Numbuh 359 gave her a thumbs-up, grinning madly. "Yeah, he usually _isn't_ wrong… you might wanna put this down on paper!"

Slowly, tears of happiness rolled down Rachel's face. "I never thought I'd see you again, _either_! My lord, I'm happy to see you guys!"

Nigel and Ryan looked at the group, smiling. Ryan was happy for his best friend – she was among people she cared about, people she knew all her life.

Nigel smiled proudly – to know that his new second in command came from a team revered by the KND.

*Sector Q. First "official" appearance: _Zuzu's Petals_ , a fan fiction by Numbuh Phenon. This team has only been mentioned in the cartoon series. Numbuh Phenon took the largely mysterious group and gave it life – much like Sector V, Sector Q is made up people that are humorous, whacky and at times _insane_. Yet they are also strong individuals that work well together in interesting ways. _Zuzu's Petals_ was, and still is, a beautiful story about Rachel and the life she could have _left behind_ for a life that _seemed_ natural and "right," yet without Nigel, Rachel realizes this life comes with a cost. I liked what the author did with the team. I shall include them as supporting protagonists. Special thanks to Numbuh Phenon for "inventing" these characters.

** _Alma:_ soul. _Hermana:_ sister. Get it, _soul sister_?

To be continued…


	7. Lightning Strikes Twice

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN **Codename: Kids Next Door**.

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 7: Lightning Strikes Twice

Sector V Tree House

 _3:15 P.M._

The main room was crowded today. Every member of Sector V (including the new teammates and one new recruit) and Sector Q was gathered together for a special meeting.

Sitting off to the right is Numbuh 1, Numbuh 362, Numbuh 361, Numbuh 5, Numbuh 2, Numbuh 360 and Numbuh 518. Sitting off to the left is Numbuh 4, Numbuh 3, Numbuh 00, Numbuh 513, Numbuh 358 and Numbuh 359.

Rachel was feeling mixed emotions at this point. She felt happy to see her old team again – happy to see old friends she hadn't seen in so long. She was saddened to hear that the new Supreme Leader was considering separating them – after all they had done, they were now considered ineffective? She felt angered as well – secretly, she had the thought to give the new supreme commander a piece of her mind.

That would have to come later. Now was a time for serious business.

"I must tell you that the Supreme Leader never told us what the purpose of this meeting was," Number 361 admitted. "Would you care to enlighten us?"

Nigel looked to Rachel, his eyes saying 'you may speak.' Rachel understood and started.

"We've come across something," said Rachel. "It revolves around an old mission we had together, back when we tried to solve the mystery of Operation O.T.T.O."

All members of Sector Q look to each other, surprise evident in their glances. They had not heard of this in so long, yet they remembered it very well.

"I see," Numbuh 361 stated.

"We think it is possible that Operation OTTO was _canceled_ when you and I tried to snoop around," Rachel explained. "Now it is possible that the villains might be trying to re-start it. If so, then this could be disastrous for the Kids Next Door."

"We were never able to prove that," 361 reasoned. "We never completed the mission, remember? For all we know it could just be some old business between greedy adults wanting to make money." 

"But there's got to be more to it than that," Rachel argued. "Like you said, we never finished the mission... Joshua," she softly spoke Numbuh 361's real name. Joshua was surprised… he had not heard her say his real name in a long time.

"This could be our one chance to finally solve it," Rachel spoke with conviction as well a _belief_. She actually _believed_ that this was something serious, and she believed that they will be able unravel the mystery.

 _"This reminds me of old times_ ," 361 thought to himself. _"While 360 and I acted on logic and 358 and 359 just plain listened, Rachel acted on articles of_ _ **faith**_ _. Those were times when I had to put my_ _ **own**_ _faith in Rachel."_ His mind paused for a moment. _"Sixty percent of the time, my faith in Rachel proved justified. The other forty percent was misplaced, but still, sixty percent is more than half, so…"_ he sighed to himself. "You really think this is worth looking into?" he asked his old partner.

Rachel smiled confidently. "Yes, I believe that it is," she answered honestly.

Though his leadership instincts told him to discard this, his heart told him to take a leap of faith.

"Well, can we discuss this in _private_?" he asked. He whispered something in 362's ear. She nodded and spoke quietly to Numbuh 1 about this. He agreed as well and spoke to his fellow operatives.

"Everyone," Nigel addressed them. "Numbuhs 361, 362 and I have some issues to discuss. Everyone _except_ Numbuhs 2 and 5 will have to leave for now. Numbuhs Double Zero, Four, Three, Five Hundred-Thirteen and Five Hundred-Eighteen – I want you to do reconnaissance around the park area."

"That goes for you too, Numbuhs 358, 359 and 360," Joshua spoke in his authoritarian manner.

Everyone got the hint and went outside for their "assignment," seven of them carrying weapons, and Ryan carrying a backpack.

 _3:25 A.M._

The afternoon was dark and cloudy. The weather forecast suggested a lightning storm might come, however, none of the agents watched "adult"-sponsored television – well, none except Ryan.

Ryan felt uneasy going out here. He looked back at the base and he felt pale. _It is made of wood_ , he thought to himself. While such thoughts are so inconceivably obvious, it made Ryan's blood freeze. His eyes are wide and bloodshot; he's sweating profusely, and he's shaking uncontrollably. Only one word can match what Ryan is feeling – _fear_.

Taking note at what her fellow agent is feeling, Numbuh 513 walks over to him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, mate. You look loike you're about to have kittens*," 513 says.

Ryan looks back. It doesn't take an expert to know that the girl is genuinely concerned; her tone stated it easily.

Taking a good look at her, Ryan notes details he had never had the chance to explore. Her black hair is slightly rugged and wild. Her brown skin is light and creamy looking. Her attire consists of something that looks like a long-sleeved weather coat without buttons that covers her shins but just barely covers her black rain boots. She wears typical reading glasses. Around her neck is a scarf with the colors light red, white, gray, yellow and bluish green. She looks no older than he does, Ryan concludes.

"I'm fine," Ryan says reassuringly. He smiles to hide his insecurities.

This doesn't fool her, however. Numbuh 513 cuts to the chase. "Seriously, mate. What's wrong?"

Ryan sighs. He decides to be truthful. "The base… is a tree house."

The African-British girl merely raises an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah, it _is_ a tree house. What of it?"

"It could catch on fire," Ryan bluntly replies.

She giggles lightly. "Ha! Good one, mate!" She notes that he has not laughed in reply. Noting he is serious, she tries a different approach. "Even if it _did_ catch on fire, we'd be able to get out, okay?"

"What if we couldn't?" Ryan asks.

She feels irritated at the boy's pessimism. However, she does not get angry. Something is going on with him, and she intends to get to the bottom of it. "What is it with your concern over fire, mate? I know we just met, but I really want to help. I can't help ya if you won't let me."

Ryan looks at her again, this time in the eyes. He can tell that she's truly concerned for him. Deciding whether to confide in her or not is a difficult task.

Coming to a decision, he decided to tell her his story. "Let us go sit at that bench." She nods in agreement.

Sitting at the bench, 513 listens intently to Ryan's story.

"Last month, there was… an accident at my family's old home," said Ryan. "A fire broke out. It was… all around us. I remember one of the book shelves fell on me and trapped me. My dad managed to get me out and led us to an underground room – a place that could protect us from the fire." He pauses, considering whether to go on. Despite his sad feelings, he decides to continue. "The firemen managed to get us out. I was at the hospital with Rachel… that's, uh, Numbuh 362. She's my best friend. Her house was on fire, too. Both our moms came in…" his eyes water at the memory. "They… they told us…" his voice breaks into sobs. "They told us that my older sister, Kassie, and Rachel's grandma… they both died in the fire." Breaking down quietly, Ryan holds his head down.

Touched by his story, Numbuh 513 puts her arm on his shoulder in order to comfort him. He pats him lightly, letting him know that she understood.

He breathes lightly to calm himself, and it has the desired effect. "So, in conclusion, I have pyrophobia."

A figurative question mark appearing in her mind, Number 513 does not understand. "Pie-ro-what?"

Ryan shakes his head, amused by her misspelling. "Pyrophobia," he says again. "P-Y-R-O-P-H-O-B-I-A."

"Oh, right, gotcha," she says. "What does it mean?"

"It means I have a fear of fire," he replies.

"Oh, I get it now," she says, nodding her head in understanding. "If ya don't mind my asking, do any of your family members have a fear of fire, too?"

Ryan shakes his head. "No, but I do have a younger cousin that has nyctophobia*," he says.

"What's nyctophobia?" Numbuh 513 asks.

"It means she's afraid of the dark," Ryan replies. Numbuh 513 merely nods, noting once again that she gets it.

"We were never properly introduced," 513 stated. She extended her hand. "I'm Numbuh 513. My real name is Lauren Montgomery."

Ryan took her hand and shook it politely. "My name is Ryan Larsen."

"By the way, based on your accent, I'd say you're from England," Ryan deduced.

"Ya got that right," Lauren confirmed.

"What brings you to the United States?" asks Ryan.

"My papa is a financial consultant," Lauren explains. "We've been having troubles of late. Then my papa gets a letter in the mail offering a position at the Vlad Company*, and so we moved here to Illinois."

"I thought the Vlad Company is based in Wisconsin," said Ryan.

"It is," says Lauren. "But apparently old man Vlad Masters is trying to branch out his business across the Midwest. He seems to think if he can succeed in the Midwest, he can succeed _anywhere_."

"It is good to see you again, Mei Ling," Kuki said, placing her hand on the Chinese girl's shoulder.

Mei Ling turns and smiles at the Japanese girl.

Despite the fact that their ancestors came from two different countries, Mei Ling felt a sort of kinship with Kuki; in her private journal, Mei Ling commented that "it feels comforting to have a fellow Asian on the same team amidst a group consisting mostly of Caucasian members." Oh sure, there was Abby and Lauren (two people of African ancestry), and Mei Ling did not have _any_ hard feelings towards the other members of Sector V.

During much of the early twentieth century, there was no Kids Next Door until, presumably, the 1970s. Not much is known of that time (any records were destroyed, some are presumably hidden), but the KND "evolved" for lack of a better term. Girls were allowed in, as well, during that period. The KND wanted to expand. They first sent American-born delegates to the Far East – Japan, South Korea and China were the first countries where the Kids Next Door would make an impact on the then-brave new world.

Diversity was the key to keeping the Kids Next Door Alive. Mei Ling has heard this story time and time again.

"It is good to see you as well, Kuki," Mei Ling replied.

"So what brings you to America?" Kuki asked, genuinely interested.

Mei Ling thinks this through before answering. "My family was having some… trouble back home in China. So we decided to move here, to get a fresh start in a new country, one we hope to call home someday."

"What kind of troubles?" Kuki asked, concern laden in her tone.

"Just financial troubles," Mei Ling replied nonchalantly.

"Well, it is good to have you on our team," says Kuki in her cheerful tone. "I was wondering if you'd like to have a tea party with me sometime."

Mei Ling smirks. "I don't see why not."

"Okay, here's a good one," says Lauren. She grins madly. "There are _five_ birds in a tree. A hunter shoots _two_ of them dead. How many birds are left?"

Ryan says, "Three?"

Lauren snaps her fingers. "Wrong, boyo," she states. "I'm referring to those in the _tree_."

Ryan looks confused. He shrugs, having no idea what she is talking about.

"Two birds," she says slowly. Grinning madly once again, she continues, "The other three flew away!" She laughs heartily at her own joke, yet Ryan looks dumbfounded.

"Okay, okay, this one will _surely_ get you going," Lauren promised. "Whot kind of ears does an engine have?"

Ryan shrugs.

"They 'ave _engineers_!" Lauren proclaims, and then she starts laughing again.

Ryan grins and starts chuckling. "Hey, that one was actually pretty good!"

"Heh, I'll say," says a thick voice behind them. They turn to see Wallabee Beetles. He's grinning, too.

"Hey there, Wally," Lauren greets the Australian. They shake hands with vigor.

"You've come a long way since 2003," Wallabee lamented. "Back then we both had just graduated from the Cadets Next Door."

"I know, tell me about it," Lauren agreed, shaking her head. "You've come a long way too, mate. When you first started you couldn't be trusted with a mustard gun – you were _that_ unpredictable." She chuckles lightly. Wally has a playful frown plastered on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Wally drones.

(Cut to: inside the Tree House)

"I'm telling you, it has got to be Cree Lincoln," Rachel suggested. "She was there when we attempted to solve the mystery long ago. If anyone knows what Operation OTTO is all about, Cree most certainly is the one."

"Perhaps," Number 361 (or Joshua) agreed. "However, she's not an easy person to get to. She was trained by the best combat experts the Kids Next Door had to offer – at that time. Now she has additional training from the best combatants the teenagers have to offer."

"So, are you saying we should just give up hope?" Nigel inquired.

Joshua shook his head. "What I am saying is that we can't approach this halfway. We need to be prepared, and we _need_ a plan."

(Cut back to: outside)

Putting his backpack to the side, Ryan opened it up and took out an archaic-looking hammer.

"Whot the heck is that?" Wally asked.

"It is a Viking War Hammer," Ryan explains. "It is a _very_ serious weapon."

"That's pretty neat, mate," Lauren commented. "So, you're into Viking stuff?"

"Absolutely," says Ryan. He smiles brightly, recounting some of his history. "You see, my dad's parents moved from Denmark to the US. Denmark was a major home country for the Vikings. I used to read about them, and I was captivated by the stories of Viking warriors and their acts of bravery. Not to boast, but, I'm proud of my Danish heritage."

"No way!" a voice boomed. Turning to their right, Ryan, Wally and Lauren look to see Numbuhs 358, 359 and 360, members of Sector Q, Rachel's old sector.

"My lord! Ryan, is that you?" Number 360 (the light blonde) asked.

Ryan all too well remembered the three. His smile is wide and vigorous. "Natalie? Natalie Oak?"

"Yay!" she cried out and picked up the shorter boy and engulfed him in a hug. "Ya remembered me!"

The platinum blonde put him down so he could visit with the other two Sector Q members.

"I remember you guys, too. Maria Pizarro," he gestured to the Hispanic girl, "and Geoffrey Hawke," he gestured to the black haired Caucasian boy.

"When on duty – or if you prefer, the Moon Base – you will refer to me as Number 358," Maria jokingly reprimanded.

"Don't forget me… everyone calls me Number 359," Geoffrey added.

"I haven't seen you three in… well, forever is the only word I can use to describe it," says Ryan, clearly happy to see them.

"Well, when we have time, we should get reacquainted with you and Rachel," stated Maria. Natalie and Geoffrey agreed wholeheartedly.

(Cut back to: inside the Tree House)

"You want me to sneak into my sistah's place and look for any leads," Abby stated bluntly.

Nigel rolled his eyes. " _No_ , I want you to tie her up and interrogate her," he stated dryly. Abby could detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice, yet he also sounded serious, like he was considering it.

Rachel shook her head, miffed by the way the two are talking to each other. "It is nothing you haven't done before, Numbuh 5," Rachel reasoned. "You are a _spy_ , after all. Just get in there and get out."

"What if I don't find anything?" Abby argued.

Rachel frowned. "Then we'll have to look somewhere else."

(Cut to: outside, the playground)

4:12 P.M.

"Those clouds look pretty dark," Kuki muttered.

"So what if they're dark?" Wally waved off. "It is not loike there'll be a lightnin' storm are anything."

The clap of thunder and flash of lightning arrived not too soon. All eyes turned too Wally, all looking very peeved.

"Whot?" Wally exclaimed. "It was just… a coincidence!" Boy, it sure took _him_ long to think of _that_ particular word.

The thunder came again, this time louder than before.

"Eeeek!" Kuki screamed. Just as the thunder struck again, Kuki found herself engulfing Wally in a tight embrace.

Though he was feeling awkward, Wally didn't attempt to pry the girl off of him.

"Well," Maria (Number 358) started saying. "We should find a safe place. The tree house should provide us cover…"

"No!" Ryan shouted. Everyone turned to him, all scared by his outburst. Ryan regained his composure. "No, that is _exactly_ the wrong thing to do. It is a potentially _much_ larger conductor than we are**."

"Qué?" Maria questioned, having no idea what he just said.

"Where should we go then, Double O?" Wally asked.

Ryan looked around the entire park. Catching his attention was a small shed… wait, where did _that_ come from? It wasn't there five minutes ago.

Ryan shook his head. No time to question the logic of _this_ universe. That and he'd been told to "not look a gift horse in the mouth," or whatever phrase people used.

"There's a shed over here," Ryan said. "We can hide in there."

All eight kids hid inside the shed until the storm blew over. It was already 4:15 and things still looked ugly out there.

That's when the storm suddenly stopped.

"Well, it came in like a lamb and exited like a lion," Ryan stated.

Looking into his backpack, Ryan realized something wasn't in it. "My Viking war hammer isn't here. I must have left it by the seats." Taking leave, Ryan exited the shed.

Wanting to make sure he'd be safe, the others followed him.

The hammer was where Ryan had left it. Ryan was twenty feet away from it.

Something strange was happening. Ryan saw the lightning briefly return. A lightning bolt hit his hammer. Then just as quickly as it came, the lightning ceased to be.

Ryan was mesmerized by the electrical currents going through his hammer. When it stopped, Ryan took it as his chance to pick it up. Using his right hand to grip it, Ryan attempted to lift the hammer. That's when something _really_ strange happened.

The members of Sectors V and Q looked on and saw a horrifying sight.

Ryan is being electrified by the hammer!

Spouting out something akin to gibberish, Ryan could not let go as the electricity continued to jolt through his body.

After a minute or so, it stopped. Ryan looked fine, but he was anything but. And then he fainted and fell to the ground.

**Reference to one of my favorite movies: _Mary Shelley's Frankenstein_ (1994), starring Robert DeNiro as the Creation and Kenneth Branagh art Victor Frankenstein.


	8. Awakening

Disclaimer: I Do NOT own Codename: KND

 **The Heart is Mightier than the Fist**

Chapter 8: Awakening

4:20 P.M

The park outside Sector V Tree House

Many were shocked by what just happened. What just happened? Ryan Larsen went out to find his hammer. It had been struck by lightning five minutes prior. He attempted to lift it and ended up being shocked. He fainted.

For five minutes Numbers 513, 518, 358 and 360 have attempted to wake him up… using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation! (You kids can say EWWWW all you want, but for these girls this is no JOKE! So pipe down and read the blasted story! Sheesh!)

Wally was grateful Kuki decided not to join in. He'd hate to attack the boy in a jealous rage (though he'd be told it would save Ryan's life, Wally wouldn't stop feeling jealous that Kuki smacked lips with another boy. Hey, have _some_ sympathy for the guy, will ya! Oh, and postscript: Wally would never, _ever_ acknowledge this publically!).

"I never noticed before," Kuki said. "But Number Double O is the same size as you, Wally." She giggled.

Wally took notice and thought she was right.

"Now you're not the only short guy on the team," Kuki joked.

After five minutes of resuscitation, Ryan woke up gasping.

Getting up, Ryan checked his surroundings. Something was not right about him.

Everyone could see it in his eyes…

His stare is calm and stern, his lips forming a semi-frown and his forehead taught with caution. It reminded Kuki of Wally when in his "warrior" stance.

" _Sneck-up*_ , ye strange* _tikes_!^" he snarled. Everyone stepped back, frightened by his strong words. "Though I may be _uncharged_ *, I have not the _vainness_ * to _vail_ * thyself like a _water-rug_ *! Do you think it sporting to corner me _thusly_? _Sway_ *, ye lowly curs! 'Fore I decide to _sliver_ * you like the _swinge-bucklers_ * you are!"

Everyone except Wally show fear and back away. However, they all share confusion over his… _dialogue_.

"Uh, does anyone know what he just said?" Wally asked, his head swirling like he'd been on a roller coaster with many twists and turns for too long. He tried to grasp what he just heard and it was _really_ hard on his brain.

"No, I feel the same way," Kuki replied. " _Thusly_? Is that even a _word_?"

Lauren (Scarf Girl/513), however, had a revelation. Her eyes widened with glee and she snapped her fingers. "'Ey! Oi know _exactly_ what he said!"

Maria (358) raised her right eyebrow quizzically. "Are you serious? It sounded like another language."

Lauren nodded. "It's Shakespearean, mates. Basically, it is an older style of English." She paused and rubbed her chin. "Although, I must admit, his vocal presentation is much rougher, almost warrior-like."

"So, what did he say? We'd like a translation, please!" Geoffrey (359) whined.

"Literally speaking, he thinks we mean him harm, and will attack us if we don't back off," Lauren replied. "But don't worry, I'll persuade him otherwise." Turning her attention to the blonde boy, she says, "We mean you no harm, mate. I mean, you must recognize us, roight?"

Five seconds and Ryan realized his mistake. He chuckled nervously. "A thousand pardons, good people. I was _motley-minded_ * to _misdoubt_ * you, or to believe that you would have ill-bearings toward my safety. I know all of you to be of no danger to me."

Lauren smiled and turned to the others. "Everything's good, guys. There's nothing to worry about."

Ryan looked over to the blonde Australian and he smirked. "Wallabee Beetles, I have heard many a tale of your _hardiment_ *. I have heard that you are like an unstoppable _engine_ * yet incredibly noble. I dare* thee to combat so that I may test your skill!"

"Oi accept!" Wally shouted and pumped his fist into the air. A few seconds later a figurative question mark appears over his head and a confused frown appears. "Uh, what did I just accept to do?" He turned to Lauren for an explanation, and the African-English girl face palmed and shook her head.

"Do you not even know what _combat_ means? _You_ are the team's _combat_ expert, a fighter! You should know when someone challenges you to a fight!" Her voice is dripping with light agitation.

This time a figurative exclamation point appears over Wally's head. His eyes widen as realization dawns upon him. "Ohhhh, oi get it _now_!" Turning to a grinning Ryan, the Aussie grins as well. "So, you wanna fight me, eh? Alroight, oi think we can squeeze in some time. Let's get back to the tree house, then we can enter my room and we'll see how good you are!"

Sector V Tree House interior, Wally's Room

Wally's room consisted of a large wrestling ring, a boxing bag, a shelf containing comics, and other pieces of equipment for exercise.

Taking off his hoodie/sweat shirt, Wally entered the square fighting ring wearing only a white tee-shirt, his jeans and shoes. Ryan enters also, wearing a grey t-shirt, sweat pants and jogging shoes. Both participants are getting ready, Wally on the left side of the ring and Ryan on the right side. Both grin expectantly at each other.

"Ready to get your butt kicked, mate?" Wally called out cockily.

"I am addressed* for you, _Australian Rambo_ ," Ryan shouts back. "You can brave* as long as you like. It will get your nowhere."

Walking to the center of the ring, Wally and Ryan take several breathes and stretches.

"Forty cents says Wally will be the victor," Hoagie (Number 2) grinned.

"In that case, _fifty_ cents says Ryan will come out on top," Number 360 (Natalie) challenges.

"Well, I think it'll be a tie," Kuki says, giggling. "So you'll owe me _eighty_ cents!"

Numbers 2 and 360 look to the Japanese girl astonished. However, they simply nod in agreement.

Their warm-ups over, Wally and Ryan simply stare at each other. Their eyes are tense with anticipation.

Having enough of the staring contest, Wally snarls and charges his opponent.

Ryan instantly jumps into the air out of the Australian's reach, as if he'd been expecting such a move.

Landing behind the burly Aussie, the Danish lad puts one leg on the ground, spins it and trips his attacker.

Not to be outdone, Wally instinctively spins in the air and manages to make sure that his feet land on the ground.

Sensing an oncoming strike, Wally quickly turns around and puts his right hand in front, catching Ryan's right fist in it.

What Wally does not expect costs him – his opponent slides underneath him and, when his right hand is free, kicks Wally in the back, sending him into the ropes.

Wally is pushed back into the ring by the ropes only for his abdomen to meet Ryan's fist, making him fall onto the ground and holding his chest.

"Well," Wally chokes. "You're pretty tough, I'll give you that." Getting off the floor, Wally stares intently at Ryan. "But you're gonna have to try harder than _that_ if you wanna take me down," he states with a cocky grin.

Once again the two "warriors" struck blows at one another. Ryan is nimble and incredibly fast; faster than _anyone_ Wally has every faced before. Despite all this, Wally's efforts seemed to be making Ryan tired – or so it _appeared_. Nonetheless, after thirty seconds Wally managed to get in and punch Ryan "right in the kisser" (his cheek, dude!). Wally does this again and Ryan falls to the floor. Instead of relenting, the Danish lad gets up and faces his Australian opponent head on.

Wally grins and shakes his head, still breathing hard from all the effort. "You just don't know when to give up, do ya?"

"I've never been a quitter," Ryan responds, grinning like a loon. "Why, I've never known _when_ to quit!"

"Well, maybe," Wally counters. "It'll be after this _next_ knuckle sandwich."

Wally sends another fist blow, only to find it in Ryan's right palm.

Not taking any chances, Ryan, with all his strength, starts to spin Wally around and around.

After a minute or so, Ryan tosses Wally toward the ring ropes. Wally manages to stop himself before he reaches his destination.

Turning himself around, Wally slowly walked towards his opponent. They stand in front of each other, breathing heavily. The others wait in anticipation, only to gawk in surprise when all the two boys do is laugh it out.

Wally and Ryan shake hands, acknowledging each other as "fellow warriors."

"You're pretty good, mate," Wally conceded, smiling contently.

"Thou are a very mighty fighter, Wally," Ryan compliments.

"How about we have a chug of root beer?" Wally offers.

Ryan smirks. "That would be splendid."

Elsewhere in the tree house, 4:30 P.M.:

A half hour of discussion has made Abby exhausted. She agreed to find anything she could on Operation OTTO in her sister's abode – if there was anything there, of course.

Walking into her room, Abby took it all in. Posters of bands like **KISS** and **DAUGHTRY** and singers **Michael Jackson** and **Stevie Wonder** are plastered all over her walls. There are also awards; among them were awards for "Best Leader for One Month," "Best Spy of 2003," and "Best Partner, 1999."

Shrugging off the awards, Abby walked over to her bed and let herself all onto it.

The bed sheets and cover are colored in blue and red, two of her favorite colors.

Though she pretends to rest, Abigail can't help but look up to the walls and the awards on them – or, more precisely, one awards in particular. The "Best Partner" award from 1999. Abby thinks back to that time as the gold old days, when traitors to the KND were few and far between, and the time before her sister, Cree Lincoln, took a chance and "betrayed" the Kids Next Door.

Abby always uses quotation marks around the word betrayed because she herself thinks that word used in its context is a _joke_.

"Cree _may_ have 'betrayed' the Kids Next Door," Abby quietly whispered to herself. "But she sure as heck didn't betray _me_."

Despite all their hard times, Cree was and still is Abby's sister. Their "fights" while in the presence of their "colleagues" is nothing but an act, something for the "cameras." In their normal life together, they're still as close as they've ever been. Sometimes Cree will braid Abby's hair for her, and occasionally Abby will cover for her older sister if need be. Other times Cree helps Abby with her homework, and sometimes Abigail will partner up with her in order to find a valuable item, like a necklace for example.

The award that Abby is looking at reminds her of the great times both Lincoln sisters had together, when they were _partners_. Surprisingly enough, Cree was the one that handed Abby that award that year.

Yes, good times. Abby smiles contently.

Things were changing, however. Abby didn't feel like herself anymore. It is as if the KND is becoming her _real_ life, and she's in a trance. She hasn't _spoken_ with Cree lately, and they becoming far more distant than before. She is now treating Cree as if she were a _real_ traitor. "A traitor to the KND is a traitor to ME!" This mindset is unhealthy, and Abigail knows it. However, she's in too deep in her delusion.

Abby can't escape this mindset on her own, not this time. _Someone_ is going to have to give her a good kick in the… rear. Who will do this?

Beneath the tree house is a special luncheon room and root beet storage facility that Hoagie built "secretly" – that is, few people knew about, Wally being among them.

Wally and Ryan are seated with Kuki (Number 3), Lauren (Number 513), Natalie (Number 360) and Maria (Number 358) after the two had their match. Kuki busied herself with heir fairly won eighty cents since the match _did_ turn into a "tie" after all, so to speak.

"You're pretty tough, kid," Wally said partly with admiration and partly with respect. Grinning, he asked, "You took two hard hits from me, mate. Do ya _loike_ getting punched?"

Ryan laughed merrily and wholeheartedly. "'Tis worse to get slapped openhanded! Wouldn't you agree?"

Chuckling lightly, Wally openheartedly concurred.

"Hey guys!" Everyone turned their attention to their rotund pilot, Hoagie, as he placed two root beers in front of the two fighters. "I thought you'd like some root beer after a tight scuffle. Don't, worry, there's plenty for everybody! I'll get some more."

Looking to each other, Wally and Ryan have a devious glint in their eyes. Taking hold of their huge mugs, they count quietly to themselves. One… two… three… another game begins. They start to chug down their sodas as fast as they can.

Ryan miraculously plants his down five seconds before Wally. Everyone looks astounded.

Rather than accept defeat, Wally growls and then orders two extra rounds for himself and his spectacular foe.

Daunted somewhat, Hoagie eventually heads back to get more soda for the two competitors.

With their mugs full again, the two guys once again start to gulp their drinks down their throats.

The main room

4:50 P.M.

Heading back to see the others, Abby is surprised to see only Numbers 1, 362 and 361. "Hey, where are the other guys?"

Nigel (#1) frowns, clearly annoyed. "That's just what _I_ was thinking?"

Rachel (#362) only shakes her head. "I'm sure they'll be here soon!" She says assuredly.

The door is slammed upon and the five operatives look in that direction and are perplexed.

"A thousand pardons, good sirs and ladies," Ryan's voice boomed. "We just got back from some simple horseplay!

Ryan is currently carrying Wally over his right shoulder, and the others (Numbers 2, 3, 4, 358, 359, 360, 513 and 518) are trailing behind.

Number 362 notices Wally on Ryan's shoulder and the dazed, almost loopy look the Australian has. She looks to her friend and asks, "What happened, Ryan?"

"Ah, well, we had a darn good scuffle, Wally and I did. Then we had a chugging match; we struggled and fought, and he, eh, made his _ancestors_ **proud** ," he proclaims with a lighthearted grin.

Placing Wally on the couch, and having Kuki sit next to him to keep him company, Ryan merely stands outside the seating area.

Noting something unusual, Rachel asks her friend, "Something wrong, Ryan? You don't seem yourself."

Acknowledging her, Ryan simply replies. "Do not be concerned, lassie. I have just gone through a mighty battle with a fine warrior. And now, I shall head back to my humble abode. But be cautious; frost giants and witty mischief makers be about this night. Keep a look out for trolls as well, and any tree creature that threatens the heavenly bounds of Asgard!" He shakes his head. "But that can wait until later! I'll see thee tomorrow! Ta ta!" He waves goodbye and exits the room.

Rachel's eyes are as wide as a kitchen bowl, and she quivers ever so slightly. "Oh no, not again…"

Nigel puts his hand on her shoulder. "Rachel, uh, what just happened? What was _that_ all about?"

Rachel turns to the others. "Did something happen while you guys were out?"

"I'll be fine, Kooks," Wally slurs, his mind spinning in circles and looking like someone high on cocaine. "Just get us a blanket and you and I can cuddle up aaaaalllll night."

Kuki blushes, looking as red as a tomato. Luckily he said that quietly otherwise she'd be more embarrassed. "Don't embarrass me in front of our friends, _pretty pleeease_ ," she pleads quietly.

" _Excuse_ me!" Rachel fumes when no one answers. "I believe I asked a _question_!"

"Okay, okay!" Kuki yells, annoyance in her voice. "Don't get your panties in a bunch!" She takes the time to think and suddenly a metaphorical light bulb appears. "Oh, I remember! Well, Ryan left his hammer outside. It was stormy out so we had to wait a little. Oh, his hammer was hit by lightning and then the storm stopped. Oh, oh, and he went outside to get it! When he touched it, electricity charged throughout his body. Numbers 358, 360, 513 and 518 were giving him CPR, and then he woke up! He started speaking strangely to us!"

"Okay, Kuki, that is quite enough now," Rachel stops her. She looks to the Japanese girl and smiles appreciatively. "Thank you very much." Kuki simply smiles and gives her a thumbs-up in reply.

"Number 362," Nigel says with authority. "Can you tell us what is going on?"

Rachel sighs. "Okay, I think I will. Years ago Ryan had what we called… _multiply personalities_. Yes, many personalities appeared at once, all somewhat different, yet it was _still_ Ryan."

"So, you think that his multiple personalities have… _resurfaced_?" Nigel asked plainly.

"Yes, Nigel, I believe they have," she answers him.

The small lake next to the tree house

5:00 A.M.

The storm may have dispersed, but the clouds still hung over Cleveland, covering it in a darker nighttime than usual.

Ryan found himself walking along the lake to get some quiet time. His "warrior" personality vanished and thus was replaced by a much saner one.

Taking in the sights, the Danish lad noticed something floating in the lake. He thought nothing of it, until his keen sight noted that the object was twitching. When he looked closer, it looked like a small… person.

"Hey!" he cried out. "Hey mister!" As fast as a horse, Ryan sped down, jumped into the water and swam to the body. "Hold on! I know CPR… I think."

With some effort the boy got to the body. With all his might, Ryan grabbed hold and pulled the person to shore.

Turning him on his side, Ryan noticed the guy had a mask on, so he couldn't identify him.

There was no movement… until the figure woke up and grabbed Ryan by the arm. The figure looked intently at him until he gasped in realization.

Ryan looked scared, and then the figure spoke. "Ryan… Larsen," the guy said hoarsely. "You have a _great_ … **destiny!** "


End file.
